Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-08-16
AGRICULTURAL.
Devoted to the Interests Of Farmers
and Stookmen.
How to Raise Alfalfa,

A correspondent OF OdiHoihs" ~
per gives the following as his expe-
rience in the cultivation OF alfalfa;
Alfalfa as fodder plant is coming
more and more into general use ana
favor, both for horses and COWS, and,
| in fact, all kinds of stock, hogs not ex.
cepted.
am inclined to think that there is
no fodder plant that will continue IN
| full bearing equal to the above, II prop
erly handled.
Seven years ago this coming March
| sowed about three-fourths of an acre,
and for years this block has furnished
feed for a span Of horses and COW en-
tirely, excepting a few pumpkins, and
| have sold considerable hay. For the
past three years my horse has had no
grain whatever. As for my cows, l
| find that they do far better, both in re-
gard to milk and butter, on alfalfa
alone, than COWS do in the States with
a good supply Of milk feed. This plant
keeps green the year round, for we sci.
dom have frost in this country to kill
the young growth.
MY experience leads me to advise
those who desire planting alfalfa to
pillow very deep (subsoiling Is far bet
ter) and pulverize thoroughly; SOW
thirty pounds OF seed, not less, to the
acre and brush it in lightly. By this
plan you gain three points: First, you
get good stand, which can be OBJ
tanned only at the first seeding. Sec.
ond, the stools will be much finer, and
third, you will get a greater amount o.
hay. Unless you can irrigate. | would
advise sowing in the fall after the first
rain. / have sowed in November.
We usually cut four times the first
year after seeding; after that from SIX
to eight times during the year. 1t IL
usually cut when fairly in blossom. i
it begins to lodge it may be cut sooner
The earliest l ever commenced har
vesting was the Doth of March, anG
finished the 9th Of January, cutting
eight crops that year. AS for the yielt
that depends very materially on the
care given. The average is from one
half to two tons per acre at a cutting
Five crops Of hay and one of seed are
often grown in one season.
| When the gophers are troublesome
advise, after newly seeded track il
settled, to throw out ditch twelve O
fourteen inches wide and sixteen O
eighteen inches deep; then sink an OLE
leaky oil can down in the bottom o
the ditch so that the top of the cal
will be flush with the bottom of tn
ditch. By this device you can kee]
the gophers out entirely. In case yo'
can irrigate, this ditch will carry hea,
of water 600 inches), and by striking
a tapoon across you can food you
whole ground. ! have used this kin,
of ditch for several years with marked
success.
| My mode of treatment with alfalf
is this: After this has been sow
three or four years l apply shar]
harrow, we'll weighed down, say 20
pounds, and give it thorough appli
cation both ways, and then an appli
cation with heavy bush, which cause
the stools to start very vigorously an,
also levels the surface of the groun6
To secure the greatest amount of fee,
it is desirable to cut it instead of pas
turing it. Never allow stock to tram
over and pack the ground.
| Some object to alfalfa, saying tina
stock fed upon it are liable to bloat
So will stock fed upon Eastern clover
here give remedy that has neve
| hean known IN foil in a ein ole II, of a MOO
Get an ounce of colocynth, drop 81
drops on teaspoonful of pulverize
sugar for horse or cow, place it we
back on the tongue, and if not re
lieved repeat the dose in twenty mir
utes. With this remedy at hand ther
J is no need OF losing any stock from
bloat.